Taimi Haihambo

ONGWEDIVA – The Mandume Primary School in the Ohangwena region considered itself fortunate when the Sheekuli family helped refurbish several classrooms.

The renovations were desperately needed as the school’s floors were dirty and worn out, leaving exposed concrete stones, which were dangerous for both pupils and teachers. Also, most of the classrooms were quite dusty, which meant learners were always at a high risk of picking up flu and other illnesses. Leaners likewise had trouble keeping their tables and chairs in place because of the many holes in the floors.

School principal Anna Shihepo last week thanked the Sheekuli family for their support in renovating the school. “It is quite amazing to see a class looking new once more every so often”, she noted, and then appealed to the general public to assist the school with donations or any form of support. “We still have pupils who don’t have school clothes and come to class barefooted and require help. We also lack a photocopying machine”.

Despite the recent restorations, the school requires some additional improvements. This includes replacing the very old bathrooms, and constructing an administrative building for the teachers.

In addition, the school registered quite a large number of learners this year, the majority of whom had to bring their own plastic chairs to school.

The school has a tiny garden where they grow vegetables to sell in the neighborhood through, which they generate money to purchase modest items like plates.

For this purpose, the school collects firewood to cook soft porridge. The teachers commented that if learners do not consume soft pap throughout the day, they are quite difficult to manage.